The Great Indoors

There are lots of reasons to go Vancouver, Canada. Snowboarding, skiing, hiking, climbing, mountain biking…The natural beauty of British Columbia draws outdoor adventure seekers from all over the world. The good news for those of us more at home in urban climes is that Vancouver offers up at least two great reasons to skip the back country altogether, namely the stores Lark and Roden Gray.

The first thing you notice when you walk into Lark is the whale of a piano right in front of the long rectangular space. The 100-year-old-plus Steinway isn't just for merchandising; occasionally the shop keeper on duty will double as the resident pianist, entertaining patrons as they browse the well-edited goods. The husband-and-wife team behind Lark, Dane and Veronika Baspaly, along with sharp-eyed buyer Natsumi Akatsuka, have put together a diverse group of clothing and accessories from brands like Lova, Gilded Age, Alexander Olch, and Zeha-Berlin. Plus, in a nod to Vancouver's rainy tendencies, Lark stocks a strong collection of Anglo-outerwear from mainstays Barbour and Mackintosh. Besides the musical display area, Lark compliments the space⿿s natural hardwood flooring (left intact by its previous inhabitant, a dance studio) with neatly organized displays crafted from reclaimed Canadian Fir and four handsome-looking changing areas complete with comfortable seats and wool slippers—a set-up that leaves you with a North-Woods-meets-Tokyo vibe.

Recently, Roden Gray formed another local partnership with the men's style website h(y)r Collective (pronounced higher, like that feeling British Columbia's other well-known product delivers) to produce a great looking limited-edition series of oxford shirts from Pennsylvania's Gitman Brothers and canvas and leather duffel bags from nearby maker Tannis Hegan. All of which, combined with the store⿿s already strong roster of brands, will keep guys looking sharp whether they're in the city or the wilderness.